Cable-railway apparatus



Patented Mar. 18, 1890.

A LAFAYETTE PARKER CABLE RAILWAY APPARATUS.

(No Model.)

W I l 27/4 N. PETERS PhMwLiibog-lcher. Wflhingiou. D. C.

, UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

lrA FAYETTE PARKER, OF DAVENPORT, IOYVA.

CABLE-RAILWAY APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 423,440, dated March 18, 1890.

Original applications filed February 26, 1887, Serial No. 229,052, and February 23, 1888, Serial No. 265,087. Divided andthis application filed April 17, 1888. Serial No. 270,953. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, L FAYETTE PARKER,

of Davenport, in the county of Scott and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in Cable-Railway Apparatus, which improvements are fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, which are a part thereof.

My present invention is more especially designed to improve upon the constructionand manner of operating cable railways as invented by me, and for which Letters Patent were I originally granted to me February 10, 1880,

No. 224,347, to which reference is made, as well as to my applications now pending, one filed February 26, 1887, Serial No. 229,052, the other filed February 23, 1888, Serial No. 265,087, from which applications this is in part a division.

While adopting the general plan of my original invention in this, of connecting cars with a moving cable by means of a toothed Wheel, it essentially diifers from all previous methods and construction of mechanical devices to eifect the objects attained, especially in the construction of the tube, the construction of the cable audits mounting, the construction of the sprocket-wheel and its mounting, as well as the means for its effective engagement and disengagement with the moving cable, andlifting it out of slotted tube when necessary. These various objects ofi-nvention I have accomplished by the construction of apparatus as hereinafter described, and illustrated in the drawings, and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this speoification.

Figure 1 presents a side view of a cross-section of the car-axles L, with the wheels W on one end thereof, sprocket-wheel B and its teeth B, disk or sleeve o, surrounding the axle L, the slots in sleeve 1;, yoke-lever P, yokebar M, engaging-band w, lift-rack J, toothed wheel K and its arm K, pawl h, having arm it, also a section of slotted tube, with a section of its side removed to expose its contents, the

- rod-link cable composed of links 0, having cross-bar 1, extension 2 to roller D, and extension 3 to traveler 0. Fig. 2 is a top view of the contents of the slotted tube. Fig. 3 is a cross-section ofthe slotted tube and its contents. Fig. 4 is a cross-section of Fig. 1 at 16.

The following is a description of the several parts, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, like letters referring to like parts.

Each link of the chain is composed of a single piece of rod iron or steel, bent into a section of a cable or link 0, having the follo ing necessary qualities: an eye at the front end and a hook at the rear end to engage with the eye of the next link, so that in duplicate they may be formed into an endless cable. It also has a cross-bar 1 for the purpose of engagement with the sprocket-wheel teeth B. Some of the links are extended belowthe end of cross-bar 1, so as to become horizontal j ournals to roller D, serving by this means to sup port the cable. Other cross-bars 1 are extended down far enough to support traveler 0, which prevent the swaying of the chain and changing its trend when necessary to travel around said curve. These links may be made of any size, of preferably round rods of iron or steel, suitable for the required duty, and maybe about twelve inches'in length, or such other length as will properly connect with the teeth of sprocket-wheel required. These links can be constructed jfrom rods cut to suitable lengths, and without other labor than heating and bending to required shape be ready for use, those used for journals to roller D and traveler 0 only requiring to be properly fitted 'at the end.

The disk or sleeve 0) surrounds the caraxle, which passes through it in a nearly-vertical slot of sufficient length to permit the teeth B of sprocket-wheel B, that surrounds it and has its bearing upon it when revolvcable andout of slotted tube I. This disk or sleeve 1; is adjustable up and down by means of yoke-lever P, that is attached to its ends below the slot. Yoke-lever P is connected with the rear axle, and dividing before it reaches the sprocket-wheel it passes on both sides of it and is bolted to both ends of the sleeve, then coming together below the front platform,whose combined lift-bar and rack J, by which it is raised and lowered, is attached to it. Yokem also has the connection with the bands 00, that so fit around a flange on the sprocket-wheelB at both ends as to prevent its revolvingwhen it is presseddownagainst it by means of the lever P. When. not. so

pressed against these bands 00, the sprocketwheel is free to revolve around axle L when the. cable is 'ihmotionand-the ear standsstill.

the 'spro :wheel ceases to revolve, the. car

' will be carried forward at. thesame speediof the cable.

RollerD, on which the chain. is mounted,

may-,beusedonevery sixth link of chain, or.

as oftenas. it. isnecessary to support. the. chairi and keep itinposition to engage with, theteeth ofth'e sprocketewheel. This, roller has a narrow, .oval bearing. on .itsiperiphery at, its. ends where it] comes. in. contact, with the, fiat ledge or track on which ittravels to secure theminjirnum joffriction. It maybe madeof metal in a. single piece, or it may be part.

metal; and part material .to deaden sound.

The. plate H is ,onlyused in depressed places; where otherwise the'cable would press against the top oifslotted tube. Itis then indispen; s'ableto prevent friction.

Travelers 0, are used at a. considerable dis: tan ce apart to come incontact, with sides of tube andiprevent friction, and: assist in the rounding 0' curves. by changing the track to the side'ojf the, tube,

Thejnutdattheend of rollerD servesthe purpose of keeping; the roller in place, alsoby means of air-opening or cup 4 at its upperside it servesla's a receiver for lubricatingpil, which, passes from it through I the passage e in the shaftto the chambert in roller 1), froiiiwhich it distributesitself to lubricate the shaft." This rollerD travels on .acontinuousnarrow ledge at each side of opening N;

From this ledge thesides oftube rise with a.

maybe made at convenient distances, where connection with sewers or dirt-holes'is 10-.

cated, and into which a brush or scraper attached to the chain will carry it. The slotted tube. may be 'formed'of two or more pieces of iron or of parallel wooden beams resting on I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Batent, is. asfollows:

1. The combination, with sprocket-wheel into a. link having the following necessary features: a hook at one end ending in a crossbar suitable to engage with the teeth of a sprocket-wheel and an eye at the other suit- .ableto engage with said hook, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, with a cable composed of a series of rod links that have at suitable .arm that extends down from said cable top I ,fform a journal at.its,end for saidirollers,

To start the .car it, is. only necessary to press, down-,o1 1 lever P with sufficient force. When The-combination, with. a cablefor. oper 'atingstreeucars, of} rods depending. from it ,at suitable. distances that ar OQn inHati ns, of the link, audits cross-bars composing I, said cable, saidrods. having rollers. on their. ends that travelonthe vbottom of theslotted tube to support the cable,substantiallyas j shown.

4. The combinatiom'with a traction-cable jsupported, on. rollers .th travel with itina, :I slotted .tube, that are located-at equal and suitiable. distances.oftraveler, 0, to prevent; its.

looming in contact with the sidesof theflslot ted tube, and to change its trend when .necesav g sary, substantially asshown anddescribe I 5. The combination, with a spro cketrwlreel' ,cable railway, of a rod cable composed ofthe.

g requirednumber of. links, all formedalike,

gexcept, asextendediat the end for jorirnalsfo f; frollerl ,D .or, travelero, and each, of alsingle ;,piece ofv metalrodbent, into a link. that has an .eye at onefend and -,a hook suitable to en} ilgae wit ai yend a r sebar u t le. Ito engage with a gspr'ockeftewheel at t-he other, I 6 Thecpmbiriati'on, with a. slotted tube .of ;.Ia.t raction-railway, of; a rider H, attachedtto the side of tube at. depressed places. in the ;roadway', topreventthe cable from pressing gagainstthe ,tep of the tubeg,

' '7. Afspro c'k'etswheel supported upona disk tor wheelwhiehis upon or incloses, the car axle. and isadjustable up and down thereon,..

8. A sprocket-wheel supported upon a disk or wheel whichuis upon orincloses acar-axle, combined with mechanism, as described, for adjustingsaid; disk and. sprocket-wheel up land-down to, disengage it from thecable, and

I when'n ecessary from the slot in 'thetube. uous for the discharge of dirt; or openings.

"9. The combination of a sprocket r wheel mounted so asto be adjustable up and down, in, order to engage and disengage with a trac- 'tion-cable,and a. stationary engaging-band or, substantially as shown and described.

LA FAYETTE PARKE Witnesses: Q

N. OJ HIToHoocK, M. E; PARKER. 

